Unexpected Presents
by FaithinBones
Summary: Booth and Brennan's first Christmas together


(After the "Change in the Game")

A little Booth and Brennan Christmas story. I hope you enjoy it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Thirsty, she'd awoke from a deep slumber and slowly moved away from her lover. Careful not to move the bed too much, she managed to get to the edge of the mattress and finally stood up using the nightstand for support. Holding her breath, she turned to look down and saw Booth shift a little in his sleep and then settle down again. Pleased that she had not disturbed him, Brennan moved quietly across the room and out of the bedroom doorway.

Entering the living room her eyes were captured by a small brightly lit Christmas tree set up on a TV tray in front of the television. Surprised, she moved closer in the dimly lit room and found numerous small and medium sized festively wrapped packages scattered around the floor below the tree.

Squatting in front of the tree rather awkwardly due to her protruding stomach, she picked up one of the packages and found her name written on it in Booth's neat handwriting. That she was surprised was an understatement. She'd been quite firm with him for the last two weeks telling him that she didn't do Christmas and if he wished to celebrate then he could decorate his apartment but not hers. To find the tree and packages in her apartment was both annoying and in a way touching.

With mixed feelings, she checked every package and found they all were meant for her. Her emotions exceptionally high because of her pregnancy, Brennan wasn't sure if she should be angry with Booth for disregarding her wishes or happy that he had. She was still learning what it meant to live with someone, to give herself to someone and she had realized over the months since Vincent died that allowing Booth to give himself to her was just as hard for her to accept.

She wanted to be a good companion, a good lover and a good friend, but she knew she was emotionally handicapped. The fact the Booth loved her for who she was made it just that much easier for her to adjust to her circumstances and she was grateful that Booth tried to control his impatience with her when he was unable to do that for others. Of course she also had to learn to control her impatience.

Picking up several of the packages, she placed them on her coffee table and stood up using the coffee table to give her that extra leverage she needed. Moving around the coffee table, she turned on the lamp on the end table and sat down on the couch, the wrapped packages in front of her begging her to be unwrapped.

Uncertain if she should wake up Booth and open them in front of him, she decided that he needed to sleep instead. Over the years she had come to realize that her lover rarely slept straight through the night. He was plagued with nightmares and aching bones. By the end of the day, his feet and legs ached and that pain made him a restless sleeper.

Taking one of the packages off of the table, Brennan shook it and smiled. How many times had she berated her partner for doing the same thing when he received presents and yet here she was doing it too? Amused at her hypocrisy, Brennan placed the small package on her stomach and removed the small red bow. The wrapping paper on all of the presents was a mixture of reindeer and snow men, which made her smile. Pleased that her partner had chosen whimsical paper she realized that it made her nostalgic for her childhood. It reminded her of the Christmas paper her parents had used when they wrapped presents for her and Russ.

Tearing off the paper, Brennan placed it on the couch next to her and opened the box. Much to her surprise it contained a small wooden music box. Setting it aside, she knew she would have to wait until Booth was awake before she could turn the key and play it.

The next package was smaller, but no less intriguing. She removed the small green bow with the little sprig of mistletoe and placed it with the red bow. Removing the paper, Brennan found a Russian nesting doll. Surprised, she un-nested each doll until she'd found the smallest doll inside. The traditional clothing painted on each doll was quite elaborate and very beautiful. Brennan smiled at the thought that Booth had given her a doll for Christmas even if it was a nesting doll.

The dolls placed back together so that they were all contained in the largest doll, Brennan placed it on the table next to the music box and opened the next waiting present. This package didn't contain a bow. Instead it had a small candy cane taped to the package. Removing the candy and wrapping paper, Brennan opened the box and found a Smurfette figurine. Surprised, Brennan's gaze moved to the shelf across the room that contained her Brainy Smurf and Jasper the pig. Taking Smurfette from the box, Brennan found a folded piece of paper under the figurine. Unfolding it, she read:

 _Bones, a long time ago, I laughed at you when you told me about your Secret Santa fiasco at school and how you wanted Smurfette and got Brainy Smurf instead. I bought you a Brainy Smurf at the time to try to show you that you are more than what that airhead girly Smurfette represented. You're a genius and it makes me so proud to know someone like you. You're a beautiful successful woman who has worked hard to get where you are now. I have also come to realize that just because you're a genius doesn't mean that you can't be hurt by uncaring people. I care about you, Temperance. I love you and you should get the things you want not the things people think you should have._

Tears spilling down her cheeks, Brennan looked towards the darkened bedroom and found Booth standing in the doorway, his legs and arms were crossed as he leaned against the doorframe. Wiping away the tears, Brennan smiled at her best friend. "I found my presents."

"I see that." Moving away from the door, Booth moved over to the couch and sat down next to her. Removing the figurine from her hand, he placed it on the coffee table, shifted in his seat, placed his arms around her and kissed her. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

Her arm snaking around his back, Brennan kissed him and sniffed. "I told you not to buy me any presents. I don't celebrate Christmas."

Releasing her, Booth picked up an unwrapped present and handed it to her, "Who said these were Christmas presents? These are Saturnalia Festival presents. We're celebrating the birth of the true light of the world." Hesitating, Booth poked the present and encouraged her to open it. "We might be celebrating the Feast of Juul too. I'm not really sure about that one. It seemed right, but . . ."

Her arm going back around him, Brennan kissed him deepening the kiss until they were both soon breathless. Moving slowly away from him, Brennan once more felt tears slowly escape her lashes. "Thank you, Booth. Merry Christmas."

His brown eyes glittering, Booth urged her to open the next present. "I know they aren't much, but . . . well, I wanted to buy you things, but I wasn't sure if you really needed anything and I couldn't ask . . ."

Placing her finger across his lips, Brennan interrupted him. "These are wonderful presents, Booth. I'm sorry I don't have anything for you."

Booth stared into her sad blue eyes and suddenly moved his hand so that it was resting on her stomach. "You're giving the best gift I could ever get, Bones. You're allowing me to be the father of your baby. I couldn't have asked for anything better if I tried."

The tears cascading down her cheeks, Brennan tightened her arm around her lover and gasped out, "I love you, Booth."

Tears finally escaping his lashes, Booth hugged his friend and lover and vowed to always make her happy. "I love you too, Bones."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Any good? Let me know what you think of my Christmas story. Thank you.

A/N: 'Feast of Juul' was a pre-Christian festival observed in Scandinavia at the time of the December Solstice. Fires were lit to symbolize the heat, light and life-giving properties of the returning sun. 'Saturnalia' was a Roman winter solstice holiday.


End file.
